TROY -- In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, groups form across the nation, the state, and around the Capital District have been chipping in to aid those in the disaster-struck areas, not least of all the local firefighters' unions.

A call was put out after Sandy hit by the state professional firefighters' union to the local unions for supplies such as flashlights, water, toiletries, and bleach, and by Sunday evening stacks supplies nearly five feet tall were piled in the Union Hall on Seventh Avenue.

"This is pretty good for kind of being thrown together," said Paul Cellucci, Troy Uniformed Firefighters' Association Local 86 vice president.

While the unions are known for their traditions of giving, this time some of their comrades in the New York City area will be benefiting from the donations. More than 2,000 New York City area firefighters, many retired, or their families have been adversely affected by the storm.

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When Sandy's fury landed in the quiet Queens community of Breezy Point, the town not only experienced horrific flooding, but a blaze that ripped through its heart, destroying almost 100 homes and a church.

When firefighters came in to battle the blaze the night of Oct. 29, they found the streets filled with chest-high flood waters, and the blaze jumping from home to home, whipped by high winds.

When the residents returned in the days afterwards, many found charred foundations or homes flooded so badly they needed to be gutted.

Built at the turn of the last century, the town grew quickly when inner city firefighters and their families, many of Irish heritage, flocked to the area for its affordable housing and seaside views -- an opportunity afforded by improved mass transportation.

Many of those original firefighters and their families were still living along the narrow stretch next to Jamaica Bay when Sandy hit late last month.

And it is for those firefighters, their families, and everyone else effected by the storm, whether in New York or New Jersey, that the firefighters' and retired firefighters' unions have enlisted their members.

For this donation, the unions are coordinating with their Albany brethren to fill a truck with needed items and transport the goods down to Queens.

So far, they've gathered several piles of donations. "Social media has really gotten it out," explained Cellucci, but they're still looking for more, and of particular need is bleach.

Many of the basements of the flooded homes along the Atlantic shore have been pumped, but due to a backed up sewage system, some of those basements began to fill with wastewater. To remove the sewage, and to kill the mold caused by the water, residents, volunteers, and emergency personnel require the chemical. The unions are still collecting items including:

The Troy donation point is at Union Hall, 3337 Seventh Ave. The brick building is relatively nondescript, but can be found where Seventh Avenue terminates at 101st Street, and displays an American flag.

Union members will be present tomorrow to accept donations from noon until 4 p.m. For more information contact Union Hall at (518) 273-8410, or the union office at (518) 273-2304.

Correction: In a previous version of this article incorrectly stated the local firefighters' union full name as "United Firefighters' Association." It is the Uniformed Firefighters' Association.